Carton and blank for the packaging of a plurality of use related articles

ABSTRACT

A carton tube for packaging a plurality of use related products having different dimensions and the blank for forming same is disclosed. The new carton includes an automatically set up internal bracing structure for retaining the smaller item in the top portion of the carton. The disclosed internal bracing structure is articulated to a dust flap and a sidewall panel of the carton and sets up in response to the inward folding of the dust flap during set of the carton.

Tlnited States Patent lnventor Raymond A. Cote Charlotte, N.C. App1.No.867,123 Filed Oct. 17, 1969 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 Assignee Riegel PaperCorporation New York, N.Y.

CARTON AND BLANK FOR THE PACKAGING OF A PLURALITY OF USE RELATEDARTICLES [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,81 l 6/1953Bolding 229/23 3,403,775 10/1968 Fargwhar 206/47 Primary Examiner-JosephR. Leclair Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Allorney-Mandeville andSchweitzer ABSTRACT: A carton tube for packaging a plurality of use re-4 Clalms,4Drawlng Figs. lated products having different dimensions andthe blank for forming same is disclosed. The new carton includes anauto- U.S.Cl 229/37R matically set up internal bracing structure forretaining the I Cl 206/44" 206/47 kg i g g smaller item in the topportion of the carton. The disclosed innt. 865d 23/2, temal bracingStructure is articulated to a dust p and a Field 0 Search 229/37 27.sidewall panel of the carton and sets up in response to the ins f t206/47 441] ward folding of the dust flap during set 0 the car on LitPATENTEDDEB 7:971 3525411 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND A. COTE WMM;

ATTORNEYS PATENTEU DEC 7 I97! SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND A. COTEATTORNEYS CARTON AND BLANK FOR THE PACKAGING OF A PLlUlRALITY OF USERELATED ARTICLES BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventiongenerally pertains to paperboard cartons for packaging a plurality ofdifferent items that are normally used in conjunction with each other.More specifically, the invention provides a boxlike carton, erected froma one-piece paperboard blank, that has an internal supporting structurefor retaining an item that is smaller than the width of the carton.

The invention provides a carton for packaging a plurality of use relatedproducts in a single package, such as a roll of photographic film and aflash cube. Typically, the items packaged together are different in sizein at least two dimensions. In the case of packaging a roll of film anda flash cube, the film, which is usually contained in a rectangularself-contained plastic cartridge, is larger than the flash cube inheight and width, while their depths are approximately the same. In thecombination packaging of these products, the finished carton shouldadvantageously be rectangular in cross section with a width equal orslightly greater than that of the film cartridge, and a height equal toor slightly greater than the sum of film cartridge and flash cubeheights. The items would advantageously be positioned in the packagewith the smaller flash cube resting on top of the film cartridge.

A significant problem is encountered in the packaging of a number ofdifferent sized items, such as the film cartridge and flash cubereferred to, is the stabilizing of the smaller item on top of the largeritem. Since the width of the carton is somewhat greater than the widthof the smaller item, there would be a tendency for the smaller item toslide across the top surface of the larger item from one sidewall of thecarton to the other sidewall. In addition to being undesirable from abreakage and consumer acceptance standpoint, the shifting of the smalleritem from side to side prevents it from being visually displayed by awindow cut out in the front wall of the carton.

A prime objective of the invention is to provide an internal bracingstructure in the top portion of a multiple item carton to retain thesmaller of the items in a stabilized position. Advantageously, theinternal bracing structure of the new carton extends horizontally from asidewall of the carton and provides an article bracing surface,generally a straight vertically disposed member, spaced a sufficientdistance from the sidewall of the carton to engage the smaller item.Most advantageously, and in accordance with the invention, the internalbracing structure of the new carton is self-erecting during setup of thecarton from a blank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for apreferred embodiment of the new carton.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a partially set up carton from the blankof FIG. 1, partially broken away to show details.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 2 fully erected.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the carton of FIG. 3 taken alongline 4-4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred paperboard blank ofthe invention, indicated by the numeral in FIG. 1 of the drawing, is ofone-piece construction and includes a series of successively articulatedrectangular panels forming the front, rear and sidewall of the carton.Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, first and second similar sidewallpanels 11 and 12 are articulated to rear wall panel 13 along verticalscore lines. Similarly, the front wall panel 14 is articulated to thesecond sidewall panel 12 on one side-and to an auxiliary sidewall panel15 on its other side along vertical score line 16.

A plurality of end flap members for closing the top and bottom ends ofthe tube T (FIG. 2) are articulated along top and bottom horizontalscore lines 29 and 30 to the front, rear and sidewall panels of the newcarton blank. The top and bottom flap members l7, I8, 19 and 20articulated to the sidewall panels 11 and 12 are typically internal dustflaps that are overlaid by the top and bottom end flaps 21, 22 and 23articulated to the front and rear panels 14 and 13 of the carton, asshown in FIG. 3. a

In accordance with a significant aspect of the invention, an auxiliarysidewall panel 15 is articulated to an edge of the front wall panelalong a vertical score line 16. The auxiliary sidewall panel 15functions as a glue flap when the carton is erected and lies underneath,and is fastened to, the first sidewall panel 11 by the glue strip 31shown in FIG. 2. The auxiliary panel 15 extends from the vertical scoreline 16 to the free edge 32 and preferably has the same width as thefirst sidewall panel 11.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the auxiliarysidewall panel 15 includes a bracing structure, generally indicated bythe numeral 33 in FIG. 1, in its top portion. In its preferred form, thebracing structure 33 includes a glue flap member 34 articulated to avertical bracing member 35 along score line 41. The vertical bracingmember 35 is similarly articulated to a horizontal bracing member 36along score line 40 which is articulated to the body of the auxiliarysidewall panel 15 along score line 39. The top edge 37 of the bracingstructure glue flap 34 is preferably located the same distance above thehorizontal score line 29 as the top edge of the sidewall panel 17. Thewidth of bracing members 35 and 36 is usually less than the full widthof the auxiliary panel 15 for ease of set up in the erected carton.Accordingly, the bracing structure 33 is separated from the upperportion of the auxiliary flap by a cut out section 38 or simply by a cutline (now shown) extending upward from the score line 39 to the top edge42 of the auxiliary flap.

Advantageously, the score lines 40 and 41 are positioned to result in avertical bracing member 35 having a dimension approximately equal to thevertical height of the item to be retained in the top portion of thecarton. Similarly, score line 39 is positioned to provide a horizontalbracing member having a long dimension approximately equal to thedifference between the horizontal width of the carton and the horizontalwidth of the item packaged in the top portion of the carton.

The preferred carton of the invention is erected by first forming a tubeT, as shown in FIG. 2. The first sidewall panel 11, which overlies theauxiliary panel 15 is adhesively joined thereto by activating the gluestrip 31. The step of joining panels 11 and 15 also results in thejoining of the glue flap 34 of the bracing structure to the dust flap 17along a glue strip 31a which is a continuation of the glue strip 31.

After the tube is formed and adhesively sealed, the top and bottom endflaps are folded inward and joined to form the carton. The items to bepackaged can be introduced through either the top or bottom ends afterone end of the carton is closed.

The bottom end of the carton is closed and sealed in the conventionalmanner for cartons having a four-flap end closure. In accordance withthe invention, the bracing structure 33 is fully set up in response tothe operation of folding the dust flap l7 inwardly to its finalhorizontal position as shown in FIG. 4.

The bracing structure 33 is fixed at both ends by being adhered to thedust flap 17 and articulated to the auxiliary sidewall panel 15. Inresponse to the folding of the dust flap l7 inwardly during cartonerection, the bracing structure is forced to bellow outward to form aninternal structure within the top portion of the finished carton. Byproviding score line 40 in the preferred embodiment, the right angularinternal bracing structure shown in FIG. 4, having a horizontal bracingmember 36 and a vertical bracing member 35 is automatically formed.

As shown in the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the new cartonincludes a number of features designed to make the package moreattractive to the consumer and easier to handle and display by themerchant. Referring to the drawing, the top outer flap of the new carton21 overlies the dust flaps l7 and 18 and extends across the full depthof the sidewalls 11 and 12 of the erected carton from the front wall 14to the rear wall 13. A hanging display flap 24 having a hole 25 which islarge enough to accept the typical display rod is articulated to the topedge of the flap 21. The flap 24 is the same size as flap 26, which isarticulated to the top of the rear panel 13, and the hole 25 is disposedto align with the hole 27 in flap 26 when the carton is fully erected.In the erected position, the flap 26 extends vertically upward from therear panel 13 and aligns with the flap 24 which extends verticallyupward from the fiap 21 with the holes 25 and 27 in registry. Theupwardly extending two ply flap provides a convenient means for theretailer to hang the package on a display rack.

The preferred carton of the invention also includes a window cutout 28in the front wall 14. The window cutout 28 permits the consumer to seethe smaller item in the top portion of the carton and instantly informshim that a plurality of items are included in the package.

The new carton provides a simple and economical means for adequatelyretaining a relatively small subsidiary item such as a flash cube in thetop portion of a carton containing a relatively large item, such as afilm cartridge. The new carton includes a unique bracing structure thatis set into place automatically during erection of the carton. The newbracing structure is forced into position in response to the operationof closing a top dust fiap of the carton to provide an effectiveinternal bracing structure.

I claim:

1. A one-piece paperboard carton blank for forming a tubular box,comprising a. consecutively articulated first side, rear, second sideand front wall panels.

b. first and second horizontal score lines respectively defining thevertical dimension of said wall panels,

c. a top dust fiap member articulated to said first sidewall panel alongsaid first horizontal score line,

d. an auxiliary sidewall glue flap articulated to said front wall panelby a vertical score line extending between said first and secondhorizontal score lines,

c. said auxiliary sidewall glue flap including the following elements(i) a vertical free edge parallel to said vertical score line, (ii) anupper edge portion and a lower edge portion (iii) said upper edgeportion extending from the intersection of said vertical and firsthorizontal score line cut terminating at a first point intermediate ofsaid venical score line and said vertical free edge, (iv) said loweredge portion extending from the intersection of said vertical and secondhorizontal score lines to said vertical free edge, (v) a vertical cutline extending from said first point and terminating at a second pointintermediate of the upper and lower edge portions, (vi) a horizontalhinge line extending from said second point to said vertical free edge,and (vii) an automatically erectable bracing structure extending upwardfrom said horizontal hinge line to a point above said first horizontalscore line,

f. flap means articulated to the bottom edge of at least one of saidfirst side, rear, second side and front wall panels along said secondhorizontal score line, and

g. overlying flap means articulated to the top edge of at least one ofsaid front and rear wall panels.

2. The carton blank of claim I, wherein a. said dust flap extends apredetermined distance which is not more than the width of said frontwall above said first horizontal line,

b. said bracing structure extends said predeten'nined distance abovesaid first horizontal line.

3. The carton blank of claim I, wherein a. the upper portion of saidbracing structure includes a glue flap member extending the full widthof said auxiliary sidewall glue flap.

4. The carton blank of claim 1, wherein I h a. said bracing structureincludes a horizontal bracing member articulated to a vertical bracingmember.

i II I! I

1. A one-piece paperboard carton blank for forming a tubular box,comprising a. consecutively articulated first side, rear, second sideand front wall panels, b. first and second horizontal score linesrespectively defining the vertical dimension of saidwall panels, c. atop dust flap member articulated to said first sidewall panel along saidfirst horizontal score line, d. an auxiliary sidewall glue flaparticulated to said front wall panel by a vertical score line extendingbetween said first and second horizontal score lines, e. said auxiliarysidewall glue flap including the following elements (i) a vertical freeedge parallel to said vertical score line, (ii) an upper edge portionand a lower edge portion (iii) said upper edge portion extending fromthe intersection of said vertical and first horizontal score line cutterminating at a first point intermediate of said vertical score lineand said vertical free edge, (iv) said lower edge portion extending fromthe intersection of said vertical and second horizontal score lines tosaid vertical free edge, (v) a vertical cut line extending from saidfirst point and terminating at a second point intermediate of the upperand lower edge portions, (vi) a horizontal hinge line extending fromsaid second point to said vertical free edge, and (vii) an automaticallyerectable bracing structure extending upward from said horizontal hingeline to a point above said first horizontal score line, f. flap meansarticulated to the bottom edge of at least one of said first side, rear,second side and front wall panels along said second horizontal scoreline, and g. overlying flap means articulated to the top edge of atleast one of said front and rear wall panels.
 2. The carton blank ofclaim 1, wherein a. said dust flap extends a predetermined distancewhich is not more than the width of said front wall above said firsthorizontal line, b. said bracing structure extends said predetermineddistance above said first horizontal line.
 3. The carton blank of claim1, wherein a. the upper portion of said bracing structure includes aglue flap member extending the full width of said auxiliary sidewallglue flap.
 4. The carton blank of claim 1, wherein a. said bracingstructure includes a horizontal bracing member articulated to a verticalbracing member.